Double Victory: Boys and Girls Secure Spot in Tournament

For the second year in a row, both basketball squads will be heading to the state tournament after wins against league opponent Coyle and Cassidy on Friday.

The road to the postseason is markedly different for the girls' team, who last year qualified only in their final game of the regular season.

Fighting off the tenacious Coyle and Cassidy squad, the Vineyard girls won their tenth game of the season to clinch their spot in the MIAA postseason tournament. In defeating the Warriors 53-42, the Vineyarders also earned their first-ever win against Coyle and moved to a 3-1 record in the Eastern Athletic Conference. They are 10-2 overall, and had eight more chances to clinch their post-season berth.

"That was a big, big win for us," head coach Lisa Stewart said after the game, praising the squad for fending off a late Coyle rally. "Knowing they could hang in there mentally . . . we're legitimate with this win."

The Vineyard held Coyle to four points in the first quarter while racking up 13 of their own, but the Warriors stepped up their defense in the second half, forcing turnovers and fouls. Neither team scored for nearly two minutes of the final quarter of the game, a calm broken by a Vineyard free throw and a textbook midcourt steal, rush, and layup by senior Kendall Robinson. Robinson had a stellar game for the team, scoring 14 points. Senior Jennie Lindland scored 12 points, and teamed with Robinson in the final minute of the game to turn in three steals and three baskets in the span of less than 15 seconds.

The boys' team, who also challenged Coyle and Cassidy, traveled to the Warriors' home court, picking up a 64-44 victory for their third league victory and tenth win overall. The Vineyarders jumped out to an early lead, scoring as many points in the first quarter (20) as they would in the entire second half.

Senior captains Jack Roberts and Izak Browne led the offense with 21 and 17 points, respectively. Browne also had six steals and seven rebounds. Senior Liam Weston grabbed six rebounds, and senior Jahmari Thomas nabbed six steals. Seniors Navardo Anderson and DeShawn James scored 10 points each, with Anderson proving key at the free throw line. Fighting off a tenacious Coyle and Cassidy squad, the Vineyard basketball girls won their tenth game of the season Friday afternoon and clinched their spot in the MIAA postseason tournament. In defeating the Warriors 53-42, the Vineyarders also earned their first-ever win against Coyle and moved to a 3-1 record in the Eastern Athletic Conference. They are 10-2 overall, and the first team to qualify for the postseason this year.

"That was a big, big win for us," head coach Lisa Stewart said after the game, praising the squad for fending off a late Coyle rally. "Knowing they could hang in there mentally . . . we're legitimate with this win."

The Vineyard held Coyle to four points in the first quarter while racking up 13 of their own, but the Warriors stepped up their defense in the second half, forcing turnovers and fouls. Neither team scored for nearly two minutes of the final quarter of the game, a calm broken by a Vineyard free throw and a textbook midcourt steal, rush, and layup by senior Kendall Robinson. Robinson had a stellar game for the team, scoring 14 points. Senior Jennie Lindland scored 12 points, and teamed with Robinson in the final minute of the game to turn in three steals and three baskets in the span of less than 15 seconds.